The present application relates generally to remotely operated tools, and, more particularly, to a remotely operated tool designed to facilitate removal and installation of elastic clamps, such as hose clamps used to retain radiator and other hoses typically found in an automotive engine compartment.
Elastic clamps are commonly positioned in locations that require remote removal and installation, such as in automobile engine compartments, where commonly the use of fingers or pliers to remove, install or modify the diameter of such clamps is very difficult. As such, many remote tool heads have been created for this purpose. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a prior-art remote tool head 10 includes a first body 11 with a first tab 12 and a second body 13 with a second tab 14. As such, tangs of an elastic clamp are disposed between the first and second tabs 12, 14 wherein a cable structure 15, with one end coupled to the tool head 10 and a remote actuation device coupled to the opposing end, causes the first and second bodies 11, 13 to move linearly relative to each other, thus modifying the diameter of the elastic clamp. However, since elastic clamps are typically substantially circular in shape, in such prior-art tool head it is often difficult to engage and retain the clamp tangs due to the tool head's straight configuration.
Other prior-art remote tool heads for modifying the diameter of elastic hose clamps include separated retention devices that more readily adapt to the curved profile of the elastic clamp. For example, referring to FIGS. 2 to 6B, another prior-art tool head 20 includes a first body 21 and a second body 22. The first body 21 includes a lateral channel 23 and two rods 24 traversing the channel. The rods 24 are spaced from each other and are adapted to receive the narrow tang 101 of an elastic hose clamp 100 therebetween. The second body 22 includes a lateral channel 25 and a generally U-shaped recess 26 communicating therewith. The recess 26 is adapted to receive an outwardly extending protrusion 103 of the wide tang 102 of an elastic hose clamp. However, since each of the first and second bodies 21, 22 is adapted to receive only one of the narrow tang and the wide tang, and cannot receive the other of the tangs, the tool head 20 must be rotated relative to the hose clamp so that the proper body engages the proper tang.